Mable B. Kinzie

Computer technologies: Attitudes and self-efficacy across undergraduate disciplines

Computer technologies are important tools for learning, communicating, and retrieving information. For individuals to effectively employ these tools, they must feel self-efficacious in using them. For this reason it is important to examine attitudes and perceptions of competence that are encouraged by undergraduate educational programs. This paper reports on the factor validation of two affective measures related to computer technologies, ATTITUDES TOWARD COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES (ACT) and SELF-EFFICACY FOR COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES (SCT). ACT assesses perceived usefulness of and comfort/anxiety with computer technologies. Perceived self efficacy for computer technologies (word processing, electronic mail, spreadsheets, database programs, statistical packages, and CD-ROM databases) is measured by the SCT. In addition to data on construct validity, the results of exploratory analyses examining predictors of self-efficacy for undergraduate students in business, education, and nursing are presented, and implications and future research directions are discussed.

Effects of MyTeachingPartner-Math/Science on Teacher-Child Interactions in Prekindergarten Classrooms.

ABSTRACT Research Findings: This study examined the impact of MyTeachingPartner–Math/Science, a system of math and science curricula and professional development, on the quality of teachers’ interactions with children in their classrooms. Schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 intervention conditions (Basic: curricula providing within-activity, embedded teacher supports; Plus: curricula plus implementation support via online resources and in-person workshops) or to a Business-as-Usual (BaU) control condition. Results showed that teachers in the Basic and Plus conditions showed higher levels of Instructional Support and Facilitation of Mathematical and Scientific Thinking. Teachers in the Basic condition also showed higher levels of Emotional Support compared with teachers in the BaU condition. We did not find any significant differences between teachers’ interactions in the Basic and Plus conditions. Practice or Policy: Children are entering kindergarten unprepared in the areas of mathematics and science, largely as a result of inadequate exposure to early experiences and high-quality interactions in these domains. The results of this study suggest that providing teachers with math and science curricula that include embedded teacher supports can have an impact on the quality of their math and science instruction.

Methods of Analysis and Overall Mathematics Teaching Quality in At-Risk Prekindergarten Classrooms.

ABSTRACT Research Findings: This study analyzed the quality of teacher–child interactions across 10 videotaped observations drawn from 5 different prekindergarten classrooms delivering the same mathematics curriculum: MyTeachingPartner–Math. Interactions were coded using 2 observational measures: (a) a general measure, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS); and (b) a math-specific measure, the Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics–Environment and Teaching (COEMET). Practice or Policy: High correlations were found between the 2 measures, suggesting that the CLASS may serve as a sufficient metric to determine the quality of mathematics instruction in prekindergarten, though the COEMET may provide finer grained detail about teachers’ practice. Results indicate that the quality of mathematics instruction provided by teachers generally fell in the low- to medium-quality range and did not differ significantly across curriculum-related contextual factors.